Corset-stay.



s v. WALLACE.

CORSET STAY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 191a.

,9" v /0 7/ c: 4 J

3140044104 15 [Walczce UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" SHELLIE V. WALLACE, OF CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA.

CORSET-STAY.

Application filed February 1, 1916.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, SHELLIE V. VVALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge Springs, in the county of Craw ford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset-Stays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corset stays and has as its object to provide a corset stay which will be light in weight and yet possess the desired resiliency and the desired degree of rigidity.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a corset stay which will yield to the movements of the body and which will yet resume its normal position when the body is erect.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a portion of a corset stay embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line '2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a slight modification of the invention. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation illustrating a further modification of the invention.

The corset stay embodying the present invention is formed from a suitable length of resilient sheet metal stamped as shown in Figs. 1 or 4 as may be desired. In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings the strip of resilient sheet metal from which the stay is formed is so stamped that the stay is of sinusoidal form, the loops or bends being indicated by the numeral 1 and the connecting portions between the bends being indicated by the numeral 2. In this form of the invention the bends or loops 1 are regularly curved and the connecting portions 2 are substantially of right-line extent. After the strip has been stamped to the outline shown in Fig. 1 it is passed between forming rolls or is otherwise acted upon in a manner to cause it to assume the transverse shape shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. As illustrated in this figure, the intermediate portions 2 of the strip are curved in a direction trans versely of the stay and the loops or bends 1 of the said stay are reversely curved with relation to the intermediate portions 2. It will also be observed by reference to the said figure that the outer edges of the walls of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 75,566.

the loops or bends are curved or provided with inclines which merge into the connecting portions 2 so as to provide a clearance between adjacent loops or bends at the opposite longitudinal edges of the stay, there being no abrupt bends in the stay and no projections liable to cause wear of a covering or sheath inclosing the stay. By so forming the stay that it will have the transverse shape shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings it will possess the desired rigidity and its resiliency will be enhanced and, furthermore, when the stay is subjected to torsional strain and relieved of such strain it will re sume its normal condition. The stay shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings is also formed from a strip of resilient sheet metal and this strip is so stamped or cut as to form alternately oppositely disposed loops or bends 3 corresponding in function to the bends 1. The bends 3, however, preferably have parallel upper and lower edges 4 and each is defined at its inner margin by an approximately circular edge indicated at 5. The outer edges of the Walls of the loops or bends 3 are provided with inclines, indicated at 6, and the outer lateral edges of the bends indicated at 7, are at right angles to the upper and lower edges 4. The lower edge of each bend at each side of the stay defines, in conjunction with the upper edge of the bend immediately below it at the corresponding side of the stay, an open slot 8 in communication with the opening bounded by the inner edge 5 of the adjacent bend at the opposite side of the stay. As a result of the formation of bends of the form shown in the said Fig. 4 the intermediate portions 9 are relatively wide so as to resist torsional strain to the desired extent and insure of return of the stay to normal condition after having been subjected to such strain and relieved thereof.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings,

the terminals of the stay are increased in 100 width to such extent that their lateral edges will coincide with the lateral edges of the stay as a whole, thereby forming a head, indicated by the numeral 10, which may in it self constitute a tip or a blank from which a tip may be formed, or there may be applied to this head a tip such as ordinarily is provided at the extremities of a corset stay.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the stay is of sinus- Genie-5:01 this patentmaybe obtained for oidal "rd-ii; previously described forms and the stay is provided at each end With a flat sided tip 11 of a Width equal to the Width of the'stay throughout-its length and the bends in the stay, Which are indicated by the numeral 12, are gradually thickened toward the middle of the stay and gradually increased in Width until at the said middle of the stay or; at any other suitable point in its length there is provided a body portionlSnvhich isofa Width. equal to: the widthofthe. stay throughout the remainder o ta its length and which may be of any desired'length. By increasing the Width ofthe stay throughout the bends thereof as thesebends approach the middle of the stay, the inid-portion of the stay is rendered stiller thantthe. end portions thereof. The

.stay in this form of the invention is also passed between forming rolls or otherwise acted upon so as to assume the transverse shaplehs'hownin Fig; 3 of the drawings, the headportions 11, however, being left flat.

Having thusdescribed. invention, What 1s claimed as new is:

1. A corset stay formed from a blank of flat resilient material stamped to form transversely curved at the longitudinal middle of the stay, the outer edges of the Walls of the loops of the stay being curved to provide a clearance between adjacent loops at the opposite longitudinal edges of the stay, the stay at its ends beingprovided with flat sidedfhead portions.

In testimony WhereofI afliX my signature.

SHELLIE V. WALLACE. [n s] five cents each, by addressing the ifiommissioner ofdPatents, Washington D. G. 

